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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29449155">i’m almost me again [she’s almost you]</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/akuli/pseuds/akuli'>akuli</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>i knew you once [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Hurt/Comfort, back at it again with the lower floors bullshit, this is my shortest work yet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:34:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>673</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29449155</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/akuli/pseuds/akuli</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Do you miss them?”</p><p>(introspection, from the people Floor 0 unwillingly leaves behind)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>ESPECIALLY with these two - Relationship, No Romantic Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>i knew you once [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2070849</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i’m almost me again [she’s almost you]</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>there are two drafts that are fully tagged and would be ready to be posted if i actually got the works they go with done. this was not supposed to be the thing i posted today.</p><p>(i really like it, though, so i’m posting it. the title is from hoizer’s almost sweet music.)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sean’s first proper memory is of the sunrise. </p><p> </p><p>His mom and dad showed him pictures when he was thirteen and beginning the closest thing to a rebellious phase you could have, and he remembered specific emotions he still doesn’t have a name for, but it was never as clear in his mind as his first sunset.</p><p> </p><p>The sunrises in the tower can never compare, even now, when he doesn’t have to drag a chair in from his room and stand on it to get the right angle to see over the industrial buildings. It’s better than nothing, though.</p><p> </p><p>He doesn’t think he’d even have noticed Mark approaching if not for the loud noise of what he can only hope is his government assigned roommates attempting to make breakfast. When he catches sight of Mark, he waves, although the worry in his eyes is directed over his shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>“ ...are they alright in there?” Sean calls out as Mark slides the door shut behind him.</p><p> </p><p>“ If they aren’t, it’s their own fault,” Mark responds, and Sean only maintains his disapproving look for so long,  “ they wanted to surprise you. As you can tell,” He gestures to the door, and, by one of the many fucked-up coincidences of Sean’s life, there’s another loud noise of something falling to the ground, shortly followed by the shouts of his floormates, who have never quite known what it is to be a responsible adult,“ it went about as well as you’d expect.”</p><p> </p><p>“ You guys didn’t have to,” Sean protests, knowing it will fall on deaf ears.</p><p> </p><p>“ We wouldn’t have if we didn’t want to,” Mark affirmed, purposefully brushing against Sean as he, too, moved to lean against the railing, “ someday you’ll get it through your thick skull that some of us care about you, old man,” He teased, reaching over in an attempt to mess with Sean’s hair, who absently batted his curious hand away.</p><p> </p><p>“ Solstices,” the one word he utters in response holds so much genuine surprise in it that he’s a bit embarrassed, “ we kind of are old now, huh?”</p><p> </p><p>“ Don’t even get me started,” Mark groans, and the way he moves, tipping back his head, doesn’t look real. Sean tried to maintain his smile, because it won’t be real tomorrow, not at all, but it scares him, how Mark moves like he’s a character in a television show. Like he’s not real.</p><p> </p><p>“ Do you ever think about where they could be?” He says, less like a question than it’s framed to be.</p><p> </p><p>Mark’s smile falls away so quickly he feels awful. When he goes to apologize, though, Mark stops him.“ I try not to,” He responds, and Sean’s always thought he was like glass. He’s only proven right, with the way Mark won’t meet his eyes, but his voice remains the same, even if it’s a bit quieter than before, “ I have enough nightmares from the Games alone.”</p><p> </p><p>“ I guess,” Sean’s response makes him cringe, “ do you ever think about him?”</p><p> </p><p>“ Every day.” </p><p> </p><p>(When he looks over to Mark again, he’s crying.)</p><p> </p><p>Sean reaches for him, because it’s instinct. Mark doesn’t immediately flinch away, which is good, and gives Sean time to stop himself from, at the very least, touching him in this state. He steps closer to Mark, because none of them like being alone, and waits for Mark to reach out. Only then does he ease him into something like a hug, gentler than the bone-crushing one he pulls Yvonne into when she wins. </p><p> </p><p>They don’t stay like that for long. When Mark pulls away, he doesn’t go far, and he hasn’t stopped crying quite yet, although he manages to laugh, albeit through a choked voice, “ we really are getting old, huh?” </p><p> </p><p>Sean nods in response, because he doesn’t trust himself to speak yet. He apologizes for something that he doesn’t need in the way he brings a hand up, coming to a rest on Mark’s shoulder with a gentle squeeze. </p><p> </p><p>(They stay like that for a while. Mourning, the company of a friend.)</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thumbs up i don’t know what to put here. i am a simple man here to provide you lot f0/1 content.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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